THE BASIN RESERVE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 4

THE BASIN RESERVE.

THE CINDERELLA OF CITY RESERVES. A correspondent, "Leg-Stump," writes: —"Now that tho cricket season is within hailing distance, I Would like to direct tho attention of city councillors once more to tho systematic manner in which they neglect their most valuable 'reserve—tho Basin Reserve. Someone pointed out through the medium of your paper last year tho peculiar manner in which tho buildings and gardens in connection with this fino reservo wero treated, as compared with those of other reserves, although it was tho only ono which was kept up in part by outside money (tho annual amount paid by tho 'Wellington Cricket Association). Tho forty-year-old grandstand and outbuildings aro starved for a coat of paint, and the old fountain is pronouncedly shabby for the samo reason. Half a dozen carpenters are needed for a couple of weeks'to repair tho seats in and before tho - grandstand, and the picket fence on tho west side of tho playing area badly needs attention. Tho gardens aro very dilapidated, and thero is a welldolined air of neglect about everything. Why? Tho reserve is moro valuable than it has over been. It is "more in demand —moro central—moro necessary as a city lung, yet it is not kept nearly so well as twenty years'ago. On Saturday afternoons the children aro permitted to run all over tho grandsta-nd and create _ a perfect pandemonium in doing so, which is exceedingly irritating to thoso who wish to enjoy quietly the senior games in progress. Will some of the councillors be pleased to inspect tho reserve, its buildings, and gardens, and compare them with Newtown Park, Kent Terrace, tho Conrtenay Place garden-plots, and tho Botanical Gardens? Truly tho Basin Reservo is tho Cinderella of all our, city reserves."